🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
To really understand the Isan kitchen, you have to start with fermented foods. Before refrigerators, people here preserved fish from the rice paddies and the rivers with salt and rice, then let time do the work. Pla som, pla ra and fish naem became kitchen staples you can't cook without — dropped into soups, into som tam, into stir-fries for a savory depth that seasoning powder can't fake. Amnat Charoen does these especially well, because it's a rice-paddy town where people raise a lot of fish in the fields, so the fish are fresh, plentiful and cheap.
What fermented foods does Amnat Charoen have?
Before you go hunting, let's get to know the main fermented foods you'll find in the province. Each one uses a different fish, ferments for a different length of time, and is eaten a different way.
- Pla som — whole fish fermented with salt, steamed sticky rice and garlic, left for about two weeks until it turns gently sour. Usually made with barb or mud carp; just fry or steam it and eat with sticky rice.
- Pla ra — fish fermented with salt and rice bran or roasted rice, aged for months to a year. It's the heart of som tam, gaeng om and chili dips; the longer it ferments, the deeper and more savory it gets.
- Fish naem / boneless pla som — minced fish mixed with seasonings, wrapped in banana leaf like pork naem and fermented sour. Easy for kids to eat since there are no bones.
- Pork som / pork naem — pork or pork ribs fermented with rice and garlic for a sour, naem-like flavor; grill or fry it and it smells great.
- Jaew bong — a pla ra chili dip pounded with seasonings, keeps for a long time, and is the everyday Isan accompaniment to sticky rice.
Know this before you buy
Pla som, pla ra and fish naem are fermented, not cooked. To eat them, you generally need to cook them first (fry, steam or boil) — except for a few sellers who specify they can be eaten raw. If you're not sure, just ask the seller directly; it's safer.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Amnat Charoen food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
Ban Fa Huan pla som — the province's signature ferment
When it comes to the fermented food that's a province-wide name in Amnat Charoen, locals think of the Ban Fa Huan Pla Ra & Pla Som group in Rai Khi subdistrict, Lue Amnat district. It's a group of home cooks who have made and sold together since 2007 (BE 2550). What sets their products apart is that they raise the fish in their own rice paddies, so the barb and mud carp are fresh and sized the way they want — no need to pick up market fish to ferment.
Their method is a homestyle recipe they've used for ages. It starts with scaling and washing the fish thoroughly, then soaking them in rice-rinse water for about half an hour. Next they coat the fish in salt, steamed sticky rice and garlic, and ferment for about 15 days to get pla som with just the right sourness — tender, not fishy. The price is genuinely a village price too: pla som runs around 150 THB per kilo, and pla ra around 120 THB per kilo.
Want to buy on-site?
The Ban Fa Huan group is in Rai Khi subdistrict, Lue Amnat district, out toward Lue Amnat from Amnat Charoen town. It's a community group, not a big storefront. If you want to go in person, it's best to ask locals in the area, or check with the district agriculture/fisheries office first. At times the batches sell out before they're done fermenting, so it's worth arranging ahead.
Amnat Charoen's standout ferments and souvenirs
The ranking below is based on how well-known each item is in the province and how easy it is to find right now. It's not purely fermented foods — it also includes dried goods and kitchen-staple souvenirs people tend to buy at the same time, because when you make one trip here, buying the full set is better value.
Ban Fa Huan pla som (Rai Khi, Lue Amnat district)
Pla som from fish raised in the group's own rice paddies — tender, gently sour, not fishy, and the province's best-known ferment. Just fry it and eat with sticky rice.
Home-fermented pla ra
Deep, savory pla ra that Amnat Charoen home cooks ferment for themselves and sell on the side. Find it at morning markets and grocery shops; pick a longer-fermented batch for a stronger flavor in som tam and gaeng om.
Samran sliced beef & pork jerky (Bung subdistrict, Mueang district)
The town's old-school dried-meat shop, selling sliced beef and pork jerky handed down for over a hundred years. A souvenir visitors to Amnat Charoen tend to carry home — keeps well and packs easily.
Fish naem / boneless pla som
Minced fish fermented and wrapped in banana leaf, nicely sour with no bones — easy for kids. Grill or fry it as a snack. Found at fermented-food stalls in markets and at the province's OTOP fairs.
Pork som / pork naem
Pork or pork ribs fermented with rice and garlic until sour. Grill it and eat with sticky rice, fresh ginger, peanuts and fresh chilies — an Isan favorite to nibble on.
Jaew bong (pla ra chili dip)
A pla ra chili dip pounded with seasonings that keeps for a long time — scoop it up with sticky rice and fresh veg for a whole meal. A kitchen staple to take home that brings back the Isan flavor any day.
Straight talk
Amnat Charoen is a small province. Most fermented foods don't have big branded storefronts like the tourist provinces do — they're made by home cooks who ferment their own and sell on the side. The prices given here are rough ranges from what we found; the real thing may go up or down with the fishing season and pack size. Your best bet is to ask the seller directly.
Where to buy fermented foods in town
If you don't drive all the way out to Ban Fa Huan, Amnat Charoen town itself has several spots to find fermented foods. Most locals buy from the markets too.
Amnat Charoen Morning Market
In Bung subdistrict in town. Come early and you'll find stalls of fresh fish, pla ra, pla som and ferments from local home cooks at village prices — pick your own.
Amnat Charoen Night Market
From evening into the night, with food and souvenir stalls mixed together. A good stop after a day of sightseeing — grab fish naem and pork som to take back to your room.
Samran dried-meat shop
Opposite the Amnat Charoen police station in Bung subdistrict, for the town's old-school sliced beef and pork jerky. Stop by to round out your ferment haul.
OTOP fairs / provincial product events
When the province holds an event, home-cooks' groups from various districts — including Ban Fa Huan — often bring their ferments to sell together. You'll find several makers in one place.
Ferment your own pla som at home — the village method they use in Amnat Charoen
If you buy some, get hooked and want to try fermenting your own, pla som is the easiest ferment to start with and uses almost all kitchen ingredients. Here's the approach the Ban Fa Huan group and Isan home cooks use.
- Choose the fish — fresh barb or mud carp; scale them, gut them, and wash thoroughly to remove all the blood, or it'll taste fishy.
- Soak in rice-rinse water — soak the fish in rice-rinse water for about 30 minutes; this cuts the fishy smell and starts conditioning the flesh.
- Coat with seasonings — mix salt, steamed sticky rice and pounded garlic, and coat the fish all over, inside and out. Salt is what keeps it from rotting; too little and it'll spoil.
- Ferment — pack into a clean container, seal it tight, keep it out of sunlight, and leave for about two weeks until it has a fragrant sour smell.
- Cook before eating — fry or steam the finished pla som before eating; it's great with sticky rice and fresh veg.
The tip home cooks stress
Cleanliness matters most — the container, your hands and the fish all have to be clean, and there has to be enough salt. If, after fermenting, it smells rotten (not sour) or turns abnormally slimy, throw it out — don't try to save it. Good fermented food smells fragrant and sour, not rotten.
How to carry ferments home without a mess or a smell
- Ask for vacuum packing — many sellers can vacuum-seal it or put it in a tightly sealed jar; tell the seller you're taking it a long way by car.
- Use double zip bags — especially for pla ra and jaew bong, which smell strong. Double-bag and seal tight to prevent leaks in your luggage.
- Keep it cold for long trips — pla som, fish naem and pork som are fresh ferments; for a journey over half a day, bring a cooler bag or dry ice.
- Avoid carry-on by plane — if you're flying back, pla ra and pla som have liquid and a smell, so check them in the hold and pack against leaks. Don't put them in your carry-on.
Plan a full eat-and-explore trip across Amnat Charoen province
See the Amnat Charoen travel guide →